Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Sadly, Gray Dog Press ceased publishing fiction this year. As a result, the print rights to All That Counts reverted to me.

Since I already publish the ebook version of this title, I decided to independently publish the re-issue as well. In the course of doing so, I had to decide how much I wanted to change.

A sweep for typos was an obvious. But aside from fixing any of those, I decided to resist the urge to "improve" the book from a craft perspective. This story is written, and for good or ill, it is the story that it is.

But formatting? Well, I felt like I could play with that a bit. And so I did. I used a slightly different layout than GDP did, especially for the chapter headings, and the hockey quotes. But I also selected a different font for the narrative.

If you have the original GDP edition, you can contrast and compare with the new edition, a sample of which is below. Hope you dig it.

As a reminder, some people who know hockey liked All That Counts.

“With a nod toward Spokane’s long puck tradition, All That Counts is a book about life and hockey that will you will love. Will Graham’s vision quest is something we can all understand and cheer for and his inspiring journey reveals the wonder and absolute joy that hockey brings into this world.”

Mark Rypien (NFL Quarterback and Superbowl XXVI MVP)

"All That Countsis a must read for anyone who has ever laced ‘em up. The locker room banter combined with the on ice antics are so true at all levels of hockey. The book made Eagles Ice Arena come alive in my hands. I can visualize the walk down the stairs and going down onto the ice. Nothing’s better in recreational hockey after the game than a cold shower topped off with a cold one. Frank does a great job combining the real life and on ice drama. No hockey fan should miss out on this entertaining read."

NHL Head Coach Bill Peters, Carolina Hurricanes

(Spokane Chiefs, 1996-97, 1999-02, 2005-08)

"All That Counts is an intriguing read for any avid hockey player, hockey fan, or sports fan alike. His ability to incorporate the intangible, unique elements of hockey with the always changing aspects of life outside of hockey provides an exciting read from cover to cover.

Frank's writing style provided an easy read, as well as keeping me hooked until the very end. People will be able to draw connections to their own lives through Graham's experiences. I enjoyed the story, and would recommend it to anybody that enjoys sports and good books."